Truce
by lizandhenry
Summary: Henry & Elizabeth are plagued with varying thoughts about the affair article.


**AN:** Hi All! Remember me? I know it's been forever. I haven't had as much time or motivation for writing as I would have liked lately. But I can't get this one out of my mind. This piece is probably not my best - just some ramblings of H/E thoughts about the affair article - but I hammered it out and want to post to in attempt to get back in the groove of writing.

I so appreciate all the reviews I still get on Love Letters - I really hope to have the story complete for you amazing people before the show ends (so sadddddd).

Anyway - hope you enjoy my ramblings...

**Truce:**

Henry wasn't sure if he was more angry at the interruption of their fight, or mad that they had been fighting at all.

He knew it was his fault. He read that stupid article and it was getting to him now, probably exactly what whoever wrote it wanted.

But he knew it wasn't true, so he wasn't sure why he was so angry. Sure he'd been frustrated and even angry when Elizabeth first told him about it while she took a bath after her campaign kick-off. But not angry at _her_. He was angry at those who felt the need to try and bring her down. Angry at the lies they had to face publically. Angry their children would read about this.

He was a little upset that Elizabeth hadn't previously told him about the "rumors" about her and Conrad at the CIA and that she and Isabelle laughed them off. But they'd talked about it calmly then and he re-assured each other that it would pass and that it was nothing more than simply the opposition being nervous about her and trying to rattle her. They swore that wouldn't let it get to them – yet that's exactly what was happening.

To add fuel to his fire, Isabelle had been tight lipped and he suddenly doubted their longtime friend too. For the first time he wondered if it was actually true. But he quickly dismissed those thoughts – Elizabeth would have told him if not back then, she would have come clean now in light of the article. But she didn't, so it mustn't be true.

But he the more he thought back to that time, how much time Elizabeth spent with Conrad then – when they worked together overseas. It was difficult on their marriage. No, she wasn't unfaithful. He tried to push those thoughts away as he remembered when she called almost every night and read the kids a story and told him she missed him and loved him. He knew how much her heart broke to be away – always torn between serving her country and her family and always did her best to prioritize both.

He should have just listened to Mike B and not read it. But he read the article, telling himself he needed to know what it said so he could be prepared for what was to come should Elizabeth have read it too. He'd opened Pandora's box; and the seed of doubt was taking root in his head and growing quickly.

* * *

It had been a long day. Between the impossible situation with Myanmar situation and the article dropping – she just wanted to come home, eat her feelings and go to bed. She'd had to avoid the questioning glances from her staff who now wondered whether or not she would cheat on her husband after Jay informed the team their answer was to be "no comment" despite her wishes to shut it down. Mike B even showed up with a bag of sweets to bribe her to not read it. She may have not read it, but everyone else clearly did – so she wasn't sure how not reading it was supposed to help.

When she got home and found no plate of food or glass of wine from her husband, she knew he'd been one of the ones who read it and was now among those with the questioning glances. Of anyone's questioning glances – his hurt her the most.

As she attempted to microwave her cold meal, he said he'd met with Isabelle behind her back and that fired her up. She couldn't believe he went behind her back and didn't just come to her first. She didn't want to pick a fight, but her exhausted state was causing her to want to have it out and get past it, but then the phone rang.

Damn it.

As if she needed one more thing on her plate tonight. The republicans wanted her to be their nominee. She'd of course had to call an emergency session with Mike& Jay – postponing her dinner and her argument with Henry even further.

That meeting too had been left in a place of indecision. But she could easily remedy that tomorrow. For now she had to focus on was most important – her marriage.

After Jay & Mike left, she didn't eat any dinner but managed a few gulps of wine to prepare her for what was waiting for her upstairs. As she polished off the little bit of wine, she thought back to the first few months of being Secretary of State, when her marriage was called into question for the first time. Stevie accused Henry of having an affair after seeing him with his NSA handler.

When she heard the words from Daisy, so wasn't surprised at how quickly she dismissed that it was even remotely possible, yet at the same time, once the seed had been planted she had to confront it immediately. Henry immediately shut it down.

_"Are you having an affair? I heard it. I don't believe it. But I need to hear it from you."_

_"No."_

_"You need to be more convincing, immediately."_

_"Have you completely lost your mind?"_

She'd never forget that day. She remembered how she felt like someone punched her in the gut and how sick she felt until they had made up.

She'd realized in that moment she never shut it down. She never voiced the words "it's not true" to him. Unlike when she accused him, he shut it down immediately. He'd been stewing all day, which probably made it so much worse. She had to tell him immediately.

* * *

Entering the bedroom, she wasn't sure what she would find. Henry was pretty irate, and rightfully so before her phone call. She wondered if being confined to the upstairs would add fuel to the fire, or give him time to calm down.

"Hey, you're still up." She said quietly, testing the waters.

Henry looked up calmly from bed as she entered and slipped off her shoes and began unbuttoning her blouse.

"Yea. What did the governor want?"

She padded over to the bed, timidly sitting next to him on his side of the bed. "To be the republican candidate."

"Wow."

"Yea…but that's not important." She whispered, timidly reaching for her hand, threading their fingers together and rubbing her finger on the metal band on his ring finger. "About earlier….I'm sorry. I never had an affair with Conrad, or anyone else. It's not true." She said earnestly, looking him straight in the eye.

Henry immediately softened, squeezing her hand. "I know it's not. I'm sorry I read the article and started taking out my frustration on you. We talked about this ahead of it coming out, so I shouldn't have let it get to me."

"How can we not? I know I didn't read it, but it's still out there and I hate that my job has caused us to question each other twice now. I said I would quit this job in a heartbeat if it threatened what we have and I meant it. Henry…the campaign hasn't even kicked off and look what's happening."

"Babe…you are not quitting. You are going to be an amazing President. It's like we talked about, they are trying to get to us, and maybe it worked for a day, because I didn't listen to Mike B – but that's all. I am all in this. Man beside the woman."

Elizabeth smiled and so did Henry as she curled up to him and he wrapped his arms around her. They relished in their embrace for a few moments before Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him. "I'm sorry this hurt you, and made you doubt us."

Henry shook his head. "I'm sorry too. I didn't intend to accuse you of anything or make you feel like you did…."

Elizabeth nodded. "Is that what it felt like when I accused…."she trailed off, not wanting to say the words.

But Henry knew exactly what she was referring to. "Yes," he affirmed, adding after a pause. "Is this what it felt like when you thought…."

"Yea," she affirmed. "It was terrible."

Henry nodded and squeezed her tight, letting the mutual understanding sink in. His voice was serious, with just a hint of humor. "What do you say we call a little truce – no more accusing the other of having an affair?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Truce."

Henry smiled down at her, and sealed their agreement with the sweetest kiss. "Truce."

FIN


End file.
